Key Takeaways
- Piraeus has three cruise terminals: A (Miaoulis, the main one), B (Themistocles) and C (Alkimos), according to the Piraeus Port Authority.
- The port authority runs free shuttle buses between the quays and the terminals. Your terminal is in your cruise documents, not in the official berth schedule.
- Metro line 1 runs from Piraeus station to Monastiraki in about 17 minutes. Line 3 runs direct to the airport in about 61 minutes, every 36 minutes (STASY, checked 27 October 2026).
- The taxi flat fare covers only the airport and the Athens city centre inner ring. From Piraeus, the taxi runs on the meter.
In this guide
Piraeus is the port of Athens and the biggest passenger port in Europe. The port authority splits it into a cruise area and an area for the island ferries, and cruise ships use three terminals of their own.
This guide covers the port itself: which terminal is which, how the free shuttle works, where the gates and the metro station are, and how to get from the terminal to the Acropolis or Athens Airport. For a sightseeing plan, see our guide to one day in Athens from a cruise. For the ride to a hotel, see Piraeus port to your Athens hotel.
3
Cruise terminals
11
Cruise berths
E1 to E12
Numbered port gates
17 min
Metro, Piraeus to Monastiraki
Checked on 27 October 2026
Terminal details come from the Piraeus Port Authority (OLP). Bus routes and fares come from OASA, metro times from STASY, and airport times and taxi fares from Athens International Airport. Sources are linked in each section. Fares and timetables change, so check them again close to your trip.
The Three Piraeus Cruise Terminals
The Piraeus Port Authority cruise page lists 11 berths for cruise ships and three passenger terminals. Each has passport control, customs and a taxi rank. Its terminal presentation names them like this.
| Terminal | Name | What the port authority says | At the kerb |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Miaoulis | The main terminal. Open 24 hours, within walking distance of Piraeus town centre | Taxi and limo rank, parking for 80 tour buses |
| B | Themistocles | Built in 2013 for the largest ships, away from domestic ferry traffic | City taxis 50 metres from the arrivals hall, parking for 120 tour buses |
| C | Alkimos | Built in 2003, renovated and expanded in 2016, close to public transport for Athens and Piraeus | Taxi and limo rank, parking for 40 tour buses |
Which terminal will my ship use?
The port authority does not publish a terminal for each cruise line. Its annual cruise schedule, on the same page, lists every call with the ship's name, times and a berth code such as P3EAST, KANELOS or XAVERI. It does not name the terminal, and the berth can change from one call to the next. Your cruise line's documents or app tell you the terminal for your date. If you have booked a driver, pass that on.
The Free Shuttle Inside the Cruise Port
OLP runs free shuttle buses for passengers and crew between the ships and the terminals. According to its presentation, Terminals A and B are about 50 metres from their nearest quay and Terminal C less than 20 metres. When your ship ties up at a quay further away, the shuttle carries you to the terminal building.
The shuttle links ships and terminals. It does not go to the metro station or into town. From the terminal, you walk, take a taxi, catch the X80 bus or meet a pre-booked driver.
Piraeus Port Map: Gates, Terminals and the Metro
The official OLP port map numbers the gates E1 to E12 around the harbour. Use it to get your bearings.
Cruise Terminal A
On Akti Miaouli, next to gate E11, on the south side of the harbour.
Cruise Terminal B
Past gate E12 at the far end of Akti Xaveriou, on the Themistokleous pier.
Piraeus metro station
Line 1 and the suburban railway, at the north east corner of the harbour by gates E5 and E6, where a pedestrian bridge crosses the road.
Island ferry gates
The other numbered gates around the main harbour. Your ferry ticket or the operator's app shows the gate.
Walking or Shuttle?
The port authority's cruise brochure says the terminals are within a comfortable walking distance of Piraeus town and the metro station, and describes Terminal A as within walking distance of the town centre. The walk to the metro follows the waterfront road around the harbour, from Akti Miaouli towards gates E5 and E6. From Terminal B you first walk back past gate E12, so the walk is longer than from Terminal A.
Walking is a reasonable choice from Terminal A with a day bag. With suitcases, or from Terminal B, the taxi rank at the terminal or the X80 bus, which stops at both terminal exits, saves the walk.
From the Cruise Terminal to the Acropolis and Central Athens
Metro line 1
Line 1, the green line, starts at Piraeus station. The STASY line 1 timetable gives 15 minutes to Thissio and 17 minutes to Monastiraki, both at the foot of the Acropolis on its north side. On weekdays a train leaves every 6 to 7.5 minutes for most of the day, and every 10.5 minutes at weekends. The first train leaves Piraeus at 05:00 and the last at 00:15.
A 90 minute ticket costs EUR 1.20, according to the OASA fares page. You can also tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gate instead of buying a ticket.
X80 express bus
The X80 Piraeus, Acropolis, Syntagma express is the bus made for cruise passengers. It starts on Akti Xaveriou, stops at both exits of the cruise terminals, and runs to the Acropolis and Syntagma, then back to Piraeus by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. OASA says the full loop takes about 60 minutes, with departures every 35 to 40 minutes from 07:00 to 21:15.
It is seasonal. OASA runs it from May to October, with exact dates announced each year. The 90 minute ticket is not valid on it. You need the 24 hour ticket at EUR 4.10 or the 3 day tourist ticket at EUR 20.
Taxi
Each terminal has a taxi rank. A trip from the port into Athens runs on the meter, because the official flat fares cover only the airport and the city centre. Check that the meter is on when you set off.
Private transfer or shore tour
With a pre-booked driver, you skip the taxi rank and the walk to the metro. Our Piraeus to Athens transfer meets you at an agreed point at the port and takes about 30 minutes to central Athens, traffic depending. If you want a guide and a set return time as well, the Athens Half Day Tour (5 hours) and the Athens Full Day Tour (8 hours) both work as shore excursions.
From the Cruise Terminal to Athens Airport
Metro line 3
Line 3, the blue line, now reaches Piraeus, so you can ride to the airport without changing. The STASY line 3 timetable gives 61 minutes from Piraeus station to the airport, with an airport train every 36 minutes. Other line 3 trains stop short at Doukissis Plakentias. The airport metro ticket costs EUR 9.
Line 3 works from 25 October 2026
During rail replacement works from 25 October 2026, on Sunday to Thursday the last direct train from the airport through the centre to Dimotiko Theatro leaves at 21:10, and the last from Dimotiko Theatro to the airport at 21:06. From 21:40 the line is split, airport trains run only to Doukissis Plakentias, and temporary bus X25 links Doukissis Plakentias with Katehaki (STASY). Dimotiko Theatro is the Line 3 terminus, one stop beyond Piraeus. Check the STASY page before an evening trip.
X96 airport bus
The X96 links Piraeus and the airport around the clock. In the OASA route data it starts at gate E1 and stops at Piraeus metro station and Karaiskaki Square. From 20:00 to 04:30 it starts from Karaiskaki Square instead. The ticket is EUR 5.50, and you can pay by contactless card on board. Athens Airport estimates the trip at 90 minutes.
Taxi
The airport's taxi page lists flat fares of EUR 50 from 05:00 to 24:00 and EUR 65 from 00:00 to 05:00, but only between the airport and the Athens city centre inner ring. Piraeus is outside that ring, so a taxi from the port to the airport runs on the meter.
Private transfer
If you are flying out the day you leave the ship, a driver takes the luggage and the timing off your hands. Our Piraeus to Athens Airport transfer takes about 60 minutes, traffic depending.
All the Options Side by Side
| Option | To the Acropolis or centre | To Athens Airport | Fare | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metro | Line 1 from Piraeus station, 17 min to Monastiraki | Line 3 from Piraeus station, 61 min, every 36 min | EUR 1.20 in town, EUR 9 to the airport | Walk from the terminal to the station first |
| X80 bus | From both terminal exits to the Acropolis and Syntagma | Not served | 24 hour ticket, EUR 4.10 | May to October only |
| X96 bus | Not served | From gate E1 and Piraeus station, about 90 min | EUR 5.50 | Runs 24 hours |
| Taxi | From the terminal rank, on the meter | On the meter, no flat fare from Piraeus | Meter | Rank at every terminal |
| Private transfer | About 30 min to central Athens | About 60 min | Fixed when you book | Meets you at an agreed point at the port |
Ferry Gates for the Islands
If you are going on to an island, you stay in the same port but move to another part of it. Ferries leave from the numbered gates around the main harbour, and the gate is on your ticket. Allow time to cross the port with luggage. Our guide to ferries from Athens to the Greek islands covers tickets and timing.
If You Have One Day Ashore
Most passengers head for the Acropolis, and our one day in Athens from a cruise guide plans that day around your all aboard time. To stay in Piraeus, the X80 also stops at the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, Pasalimani marina and Kastella by Mikrolimano. For tickets and timed entry at the Acropolis, see how to visit the Acropolis.
Useful Numbers at the Port
OLP cruise department
+30 210 4550327 and +30 210 4060905
Tourist Police
1571, or the cruise terminal office on +30 210 4290664
Ferry information line
14541, a paid line for ferry routes
OASA transport information
11185, for buses and the X80
Photo: Sun Princess at Piraeus, by Adamdl06204917 on Wikimedia Commons, CC0 public domain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, from Terminal A. The port authority describes it as within walking distance of Piraeus town centre, and the metro station is along the waterfront by gates E5 and E6. Terminal B is further out, past gate E12, so with luggage a taxi or the X80 bus is easier.
Check your cruise line's documents or app. There are three terminals, A (Miaoulis), B (Themistocles) and C (Alkimos). The port authority's cruise schedule lists berths, not terminals, and free shuttle buses link the quays to the terminals.
Take metro line 1 from Piraeus station to Monastiraki (about 17 minutes, EUR 1.20) and walk up, or take the X80 bus from the terminal exits to the Acropolis stop between May and October with a EUR 4.10 day ticket. A taxi or a private transfer takes you there directly.
Metro line 3 runs direct from Piraeus station to the airport in about 61 minutes, every 36 minutes, for EUR 9. The X96 bus runs 24 hours for EUR 5.50 and takes about 90 minutes. A taxi runs on the meter, as the flat fare does not cover Piraeus.
Terminal A has a cafe, shops, a duty free shop and currency exchange, and all three terminals have free Wi-Fi. Terminal A is also close to Piraeus town, and the X80 bus stops at the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, Pasalimani and Mikrolimano.
Most cruise passengers go into Athens for the Acropolis, which is about 17 minutes away by metro to Monastiraki. To stay local, visit the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus and walk round Pasalimani marina to Kastella and Mikrolimano.
The Piraeus Port Authority publishes its annual cruise schedule as a spreadsheet on its cruise terminal page, with each ship, arrival and departure time and berth. The 2026 file was last updated on 27 October 2026.
